330 Proceedings of Royal Soeiety of Edinburgh. [sess. 
An Experiment on the Influence of Thyroid Feeding on 
the Proteid Metabolism in Man. By J. J. Douglas, 
M.B., C.M., F.R.C.P. Eciin. {From, the Research Laboratory 
of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.) 
(Read January 7, 1895.) 
The peculiar train of symptoms which have been found to follow 
removal of the thyroid gland in animals, and the connection of 
myxoedema with changes in the thyroid, have been known for a 
number of years. 
The discovery that the onset of the symptoms may be prevented 
by the grafting of pieces of thyroid, and that myxoedema may be 
cured by the internal administration of the gland substance, clearly 
indicates that the thyroid gland forms something which exercises an 
important influence on the metabolic changes in the body. A study 
of the symptoms after removal of the gland and of myxoedema would 
lead to the belief that in both the ordinary rate of metabolism is 
diminished. Does the administration of thyroid act by stimulating 
the diminished metabolism ? The remarkable loss of weight which 
accompanies thyroid feeding suggests that such is the case. So 
far, however, only one observation appears to have been made upon 
the subject. Ord and White published {Brit. Med. Jour., 1893, 
p. 217) the results of their observations on a case of myxoedema 
treated with thyroid feeding. The nitrogen of the ingesta and the 
total nitrogen of the urine, as well as the urea, were daily estimated. 
Whether the nitrogen of the ingesta was directly estimated each 
day, or whether it was simply calculated from diet tables, does not 
appear. Nor are the methods of estimating the nitrogen and urea 
described. The observations extended over a period of six days 
during which no thyroid was given, and over thirty-three days 
during which thyroid was administered. The patient lost weight. 
The nitrogen of the urine increased in amount, and enormously ex- 
ceeded the nitrogen of the ingesta. The metabolism of the proteids 
was, in fact, markedly increased. 
Such an observation shows the influence of thyroid feeding in 
stimulating the proteid metabolism in myxoedema. But has it the 
